5 minute read
Basic exercises for your dog
from DQ Magazine Issue 3C
by hqmagazine
BASIC EXERCISES FOR YOUR DOG - Part Four
Text | Bianca Rootman
As our series draws to an end, I’ll be sharing a few more exercises that can be fun for you and your companion to try at home and some tips and tricks to make your home exercise experience a fun one.
All of the exercises discussed in the previous articles can be progressed and advanced, but such progression requires a professional opinion on whether your companion would be able to handle the advancement or not. Once things start getting challenging, we increase the risk of injury, so please do not attempt to push your companion.
1. The fi rst exercise we can look at adding is backwards walking. Backwards walking is a relatively diffi cult exercise that takes most a while to fi gure out, and some never quite get it, or are unable to. The exercise requires a great deal of hind limb strength and awareness. If one thinks about having to step back as a human, you can appreciate the mental component that one needs to process as to where and how you will be placing your foot. Due to the lack of a visual component, it makes us more aware of our foot placement and what we are feeling when stepping back. Then one can imagine the diffi culty in having four legs and paws to think about! We’ve found that placing a treat at you companions chest level and moving it towards them should encourage a step backwards which can be combined with a command and followed by praise. Just a reminder that this is a hard exercise to understand, so please be patient with your companion and remember that some companions may be too weak or compromised to perform this exercise.
2. Another fun exercise to try is lilo walking. This exercise is best for small to medium dogs. One simply needs a long, fl at lilo and a yoga mat. You can ask your companion to walk up and down the mat, and even to try some sit to stands. By creating an unstable surface, we challenge our companions as they need to stabilise themselves with every step they take. The unstable surface is great for core activation, and it also creates body awareness.
3. A progression of the sit to stand, would be to teach your companion to go down into a lie from a sit, and then back to a sit. This is a tough exercise, so keep the reps low. Sits can also be attempted on a slight incline or decline.
4&5. Two fun front-end exercises to try are Give Paw, and Play Bow. These are both quite hard exercises to train, so remember to be patient or seek professional advice if you are struggling. Both exercises are great for shoulder and elbow mobility, as well as strengthening.
6. The final exercise one can perform at home are stairs. Most of us have steps in our homes, and most of our companions navigate these stairs on a daily basis. Have you ever taken note of how your companion ascends or descends stairs? Do they struggle, hesitate, take one step at a time, fly up or down multiple steps, bunny hop up or down with their back legs, or completely refuse to use the stairs at all? These are all indications that the exercise is a challenging one. Please make sure that your steps are non-slip. To use stairs as an exercise, place a harness on your companion so you have something to hold on to, and slowly ask them to take one step at a time, both up and down. Note how easy or difficult this is for them. Please exercise caution when using steps as an exercise as they are hard to navigate, and some dogs may be too weak or compromised to do them.
If one does not have access to much equipment, or your space is limited, these tips could come in handy: • For cavalettis/poles to step over: if you do not have poles, use brooms or mops. For smaller dogs, simply laying a hosepipe in an S-shape creates a row of ‘obstacles’ for your companion to step over • For the incline and decline stands: if you do not have a platform to work on, simply use a step, bricks, or even books • Laying out cavalettis or weaves down a passageway is a great way to encourage your companion to perform the exercise • Make use of chairs to create a pathway or to create a barrier when doing exercises such as a sit to stand or backwards walking • If you do not have a lilo, fl at pillows or dog beds work, or even an air mattress • Keep the sessions light and fun, ten to fi fteen minutes is plenty • Find the right motiviation - it might be treats, toys or praise and encouragement from you • If your companion has no interest in exercising at home, try add some weaves or obstacles whilst out on a walk - be creative! • Be aware of signs of fatigue or struggle, which mean your companion is fi nding the exercise too hard. • Rest days are vital. Two or three sessions a week is enough for those who want to create a training schedule
As you try out some of the exercises we’ve discussed, please remember that these sessions should be fun and nothing should be forced. If you notice your companion struggling to perform or refusing to do a certain exercise, ask yourself why. Is he/she too weak to perform it? Is there something wrong that is stopping them from being able to perform it? These are the signs that your companion may need a check up and some professional input. The beauty of these exercises is that they provide you with an early warning system that something may be wrong or sore, so always take note when your companion starts struggling with an exercise they could previously perform.
And remember to have fun!!
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